Relevant prior art of which the inventor is aware is set forth in the following patents discovered during his searches for prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,809 discloses an articulated mattress for an adjustable bed which has hinge portions between mattress sections for limited pivotal movement of one section relative to another.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,255 discloses a cushion or mattress structure comprising a box structure with side, top and bottom walls of foam material, and cavity within the box to receive encased springs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,884 discloses a modular box spring mattress comprising a plurality of plate sub units in which coil springs are received and held by flexible retaining arms. The sub units have cooperative coupling structures to hold adjacent sub units together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,941 discloses an assembled mattress having an upper sheet with integrally formed sleeves or bellows extending downward and a lower sheet with integrally formed sleeves or bellows extending upward, with individual coil springs seated in each of the sleeves or bellows.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,547,840 discloses a sectional mattress comprising three separate sections positioned end to end, with one end of a coil spring connected at each end of the middle section and on both sides thereof, having the other end of each coil spring connected to the adjacent mattress section at each opposite end of the middle section.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,446,775 discloses an innerspring mattress construction made up of sections which are glued together along facing end walls to make up a completed mattress.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,249,266 discloses a combined chair and bed having a mattress like coil spring cushion supported on a hinged frame which folds down into a bed and angularly to form a chair in one position and a recliner in another.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,216,991 discloses three mattress units which are connected end to end to make a complete mattress. The units are connected by a transverse cylindrical bar insert on one unit which is received in a sleeve have a split cylindrical wall around its through passageway on the adjacent unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,915,674 discloses a coil spring assembly for making cushions, comprising four or more coils in a row connected by an elongated endless loop of twisted wire which includes one elongated strand connected to one side of each coil in the row and a second parallel strand connected to the opposite side of each coil in the row, such rows of coils in turn being connected to adjacent rows of coils by C-wires or fasteners known as hog rings.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,459,540 discloses a sectional mattress comprising three separate sections that are laid end to end to make up a complete mattress and can be interchanged in their relationship to each other. The innersprings within each section are encased in bags.
The inventor's own U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,026 discloses a do-it-yourself type of mattress which can be put together by the customer after purchasing the necessary component parts.
The inventor's own U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,688 discloses a modular innerspring assembly for a mattress and a modular box spring assembly on which the mattress is placed.
The inventor's own U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,639 discloses an S-shaped metal connecting clip having a spring characteristic to more easily connect the border wire around the top and bottom of an innerspring assembly to the top and bottom coils of adjacent coil springs.
The inventor's own U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,811 discloses a mattress having access to materials sandwiched between the mattress covers and the innerspring or other innercushioning member.